Freedom
by Mishelledor23
Summary: Kikyo challenges Kagome to take the beads of subjugation off Inuyasha's neck. What will Inuyasha do with his new freedom? InuXKag, MirXSan, fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me. Takahashi-Sama is a legend.

* * *

"Inuyasha, sit!" The hanyou slammed into the earth with a squawk of pain. Shippo let out an impish cackle of glee, pouncing on Inuyasha's fish and gulping down as much as he could before the spell wore off.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha growled, prying his face from the dirt, "I'm getting real sick of this."

"And we're getting real sick of your attitude!" Kagome shot back, "We get it, you're hungry! So are we! Quit beating up Shippo and bossing us around!" Brown eyes met amber. Sango and Miroku sighed, calmly eating their meals. They'd long given up trying to mediate; it seemed all they did recently was bicker and the only thing to do was let them fight it out. Inuyasha spoke first, spitting out the words like venom.

"Fine, I'm going to get my own dinner. And if any demons attack, see how well you do without me!" He stomped away until he'd put a few feet between himself and the campsite. He paused, as if waiting for someone to protest. When nothing came, he sprinted into the dark woods. When he was no long in sight. Kagome seemed to deflate, scrubbing at her face and huffing loudly. Pointedly not looking at anyone, she picked up her charred fish and nibbled on it. She'd been so busy fighting with Inuyasha that her fish was almost burned to a crisp. After three bites, she sighed in defeat.

"Kagome?" Sango asked gently, "Are you alright?"

"I guess," She mumbled.

"Would you like me to go look for him?" Miroku offered. Kagome shook her head, breath hitching.

"No. Thank you. I need to take a walk." Sango looked like she wanted to object, but Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't go too far," He cautioned, "Inuyasha will have all our heads if you're gone when he gets back." Kagome nodded absent-mindedly. Shippo watched her go, wide eyes filled with hurt. He somehow felt like this was his fault.

* * *

Kagome didn't know where she was going, she just kept in a straight line. Her mind was an endless frustrated rant.

 _Stupid Inuyasha. Who died and put you in charge? I had some extra snacks to give you, if you'd just calmed down and listened for once. But that's too much to ask, isn't it? We have to do everything your way! God forbid us weak humans need to stop and rest, oh no! Can't do that without negotiating it for half an hour. Argh! Inuyasha you're so exhausting!_

Lights up ahead caught her attention. Her heart sank in realization. Those shining fish-like demons only ever meant one thing. And that's all she needed right now. She stopped, frozen in place.

 _I should turn back. I really don't want to see the two of them together right now. But…I kind of want to know…is he lying when he says all they do is talk?_

It was wrong, it was petty and she was going to feel terrible about it later, but Kagome gave in to her curiosity and snuck to the edge of the forest, crouching down to hide in the bushes. Pushing some leaves aside as quietly as she could, Kagome peered through.

The undead priestess was nestled at the bottom of a large tree, surrounded by the glowing lights of dead souls. Her head was bowed, long raven hair cascading over her shoulders. Kagome felt a twinge of jealousy. She knew that she didn't and never could have Kikyo's ethereal beauty. But something was missing. A loud, annoying, silver-haired something. Kagome's eyes widened, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Spying on me?" Kikyo called to her, not bothering to open her deep brown eyes, "How childish." Kagome stood and walked into the clearing, trying to look calm despite the leaves in her hair and the dirt on her palms.

"I wasn't spying." Kagome insisted, "I was just making sure you were ok and then I was going to leave." Inwardly, she winced. That didn't even sound convincing to her, let alone Kikyo. Kikyo's eyes narrowed and a sly smile tugged at her lips.

"I see. In that case, I have something to say to you before you go." Without waiting for a response, she continued.

"I couldn't help but notice, the beads of subjugation around Inuyasha's neck." Kagome gasped.

"Y-you know what they are?" She stammered.

"Of course." Kikyo replied coolly, "Who do you think it was, that made the rosary in the first place? Tell me, what word do you use?"

Kagome's cheeks were burning. How was this woman able to make her feel so small, so easily?

"Sit." She answered. Kikyo chuckled, sending shivers up Kagome's spine.

"How fitting, you do treat him like a dog after all." Kagome felt her body go cold. Even if she could have thought of a defense, Kikyo didn't give her the opportunity.

"I pity him, being chained to the likes of you. You claim to care for him as I do, yet you subdue him whenever he displeases you. Do you enjoy controlling him?" Kagome's initial shock quickly turned to anger.

"It's not like that! I don't control him! He can," She stopped herself, the sentence ringing false in her ears.

"Take off the necklace then, if you're so confident." Kikyo challenged her. "See what happens to your relationship when you truly let him 'do whatever he wants'. Kagome's hands clenched into fists by her sides.

"I will!" She shouted, hating herself for rising to the bait. The leaves rustled behind her and both women turned.

Inuyasha had arrived, looking confused and more than a little wary.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," Kikyo said smoothly, "I was simply resting and Kagome came to check on me. I'll be moving on now." The soul collectors twisted around her, lifting her into the air. Kagome felt her stomach clench at the way Inuyasha's eyes stayed fixed to her until she disappeared. A moment of awkward silence passed.

"I uh, came to get you." Inuyasha said.

"Sure, you did." Kagome replied, unable to keep the anger from her voice. "I'm sure you no idea Kikyo was here." She didn't need to look at him to know he'd turned red. Forcing her gaze down, she stormed past him. Wisely, Inuyasha followed her without a word.

* * *

Getting back to the camp was incredibly awkward. Sango and Miroku were instantly aware of the tension in the air, but that was no surprise. Thankfully, Shippo had already drifted off to sleep, cuddled up in Kirara's warm fur. His input would likely not be helpful right now.

Inuyasha sat down next to the fire and closed his eyes. A silent "don't ask" if Miroku had ever saw one. Sango kept her attention on Kagome, chocolate brown eyes concerned. But, now wasn't the time. Kagome's nerves were shot, Sango could see that in the way her friend wouldn't make eye contact with anyone, and how her hands shook when unrolling her sleeping bag. She'd ask tomorrow. Chances were Kagome would ask to ride on Kirara rather than Inuyasha's back. Same song, different verse.

What felt like hours passed and Kagome could not fall asleep. Kikyo's voice taunted her.

 _Sit. You treat him like a dog. A pity he has to be chained to you._

 _Take off the necklace then, if you're so confident._

Kagome was surprised by the urge she felt to slap the woman in the face. Anything to shake that collected, condescending attitude.

She sat up, turning to face Inuyasha. He seemed deeply asleep, oddly enough. Could it be that their fighting was just as tiring for him as it was for her?

Of course not.

She watched him sleep, frozen with indecision. She'd told Kikyo she'd take off the necklace.

"I'm afraid." Kagome whispered. The fear finally pushed her to action.

 _I'll know for sure, this way._ She told herself. _If he leaves…better now than later?_

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagome crawled towards him and gently, carefully lifted the necklace over his head.

TBC

* * *

A/N: I just realized that Kikyo never commented on Inuyasha having the beads on, especially after she made them and then decided she felt bad tricking him. Stay tuned for the next one!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: you know the drill.

* * *

He hadn't noticed. Kagome was honestly really annoyed; was he truly so used to being collared that he'd forgotten it was there? Her stomach twisted for the umpteenth time since her encounter with Kikyo last night. Damn her!

The morning had gone exactly the way everyone had expected; more awkward silence while they ate breakfast, Kagome wordlessly climbing onto Kirara's back, Inuyasha huffing loudly, pretending he wasn't upset when he clearly was, Shippo perching on Miroku's shoulder. The usual.

They weren't travelling with any specific purpose in mind, Kagome sensed no jewel shards and Miroku sensed no demonic auras. So, they just kept moving, hoping to come across something. Anything.

Unfortunately, around lunchtime, that thing turned out to be Koga. Kagome sensed his two shards before she saw the telltale whirlwind of his approach. He skidded to a stop, showering Inuyasha with dust.

"Kagome!" He greeted happily, pushing past the growling hanyou like he wasn't there.

"Hi," Kagome replied, smiling kindly. Koga took her hand and gave it a kiss.

"I've missed you Kagome," He said earnestly, "How are you?"

"She'll be much better when you let go of her hands, you wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha snarled, slashing at him with his claws. Koga neatly jumped back, narrowing his blue eyes.

"Bit slow today, muttface! What's going on? Did you and Kagome have a fight?" He looked delighted. Inuyasha bared his teeth, hand inches from Tessaiga's hilt.

"You looking for a fight? 'Cuz I'm happy to give you one!"

"Just accept that Kagome would be happier with me!"

"You wish!"

The arguing was like nails on a chalkboard to Kagome's ears. What little patience she had left had officially run out. She slid off Kirara's back and faced the squabbling men.

"STOP IT!"

Everyone stared. Kagome felt herself turning red, suddenly embarrassed by her outburst. She'd never lost her temper in front of Koga before. He looked astonished but impressed, in a way.

"Stop?" Inuyasha repeated, sounding thunderstruck. "Not…" He slowly looked down at his chest, seeming almost apprehensive. Golden eyes widened in utter shock and his clawed hands flew to his neck, patting frantically around his throat and shoulders.

"What's wrong with you?" Koga asked.

"It's gone." Inuyasha breathed. "It's gone!" He cackled with glee, eyes wild.

Kagome was starting to think she'd made a horrible mistake. She'd expected relief and happiness, not for him to laugh like a super villain. Koga walked over to her, keeping a wary eye on Inuyasha.

"Uh, Kagome I'm gonna go. Dog-breath is starting to creep me out." He turned to face his rival, who was still chanting 'it's gone' with short breaks of maniacal laughter. Taking off into a sprint, Koga called over his shoulder,

"Until next time, mongrel! Take care of my woman in the meantime!"

Inuyasha cheerfully told Koga to do something that had Sango clapping her hands over Shippo's ears. Miroku looked impressed, but upon seeing Sango's glare, hastily rearranged his features into an appalled expression.

"Such filth! I'd never use language like that!" Sango rolled her eyes.

"Sure, you wouldn't. I have no idea where he learned that." She said dryly. Miroku gave her his best innocent smile.

Inuyasha had a hand pressed to his abdomen, trying to calm down, but his mouth was still stretched in a feral grin. Kagome slowly approached him.

"Inuyasha? Are you alright?" His head snapped to her. Before anyone could react, Inuyasha had swung her off her feet, spun in a circle and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"Alright?" He exclaimed, setting her down, "I'm great! I'm free! This is the best day of my life!" Chuckling to himself he did a back-flip of joy and took off into the distance.

"That was strange." Shippo commented, breaking the silence. Miroku nodded his assent. Sango however, was focused on her friend. Kagome was rooted to the spot, hand pressed against her chest, lost in thought. Sango gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Shall we take a walk?" Kagome nodded, fighting back tears.

Sango waited until they were out of earshot, assuming that Kagome wasn't ready for the monk and kitsune to hear just yet. She didn't have to do any prompting, Kagome stopped and sank to the ground.

"I met with Kikyo last night." She said. Sango sat down, legs tucked gracefully beneath her.

"I was wondering about that," She admitted. Inuyasha had returned to the camp, holding a raw rabbit leg and demanding to know where Kagome was. His exact words had been 'where'd she get to? Stupid girl let her dinner burn'. Miroku had lazily pointed him in the direction Kagome had went. After he'd left, they'd caught a glimpse of one of Kikyo's soul collectors flying overhead. Strangely, he'd seemed genuine at the time.

"What happened?" Sango asked. Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly.

"She told me she was the one who created the rosary. She said," Kagome's breath caught and she paused before continuing, "she said I treat Inuyasha like a dog and that I use the necklace to keep him chained." Sango felt her hands curl into fists. Logically, Kikyo was an enemy of Naraku and therefore Sango could at least tolerate her but she couldn't help but dislike the woman; it seemed that anytime Inuyasha and Kagome made progress in their relationship, Kikyo would turn up and muck everything up again.

"So, she baited you into removing the spell," Sango mused, "I've never seen her interfere so…actively before." Kagome bowed her head.

"Was she right? Do I treat him that badly? You heard him, he said he was free!"

"Yes," Sango agreed, "But he also kissed you." Kagome blushed. That had to have been a spur of the moment thing. She didn't dare hope for anything more. She couldn't.

"I'm so confused!" She moaned. "What do you think?"

Sango paused thoughtfully before answering.

"Well, even though he kind of deserves it most of the time, it must hurt having your face slammed into the ground. Even if he is a half-demon. I can't say I blame him for being excited that the spell is gone, I think you're letting Kikyo get under your skin and you shouldn't."

"So, you don't think I should worry?" Kagome asked hopefully. Sango smiled kindly, shaking her head.

"No, he may be childish, but I think he truly does care for you. Maybe you should tell him what happened."

Kagome hesitated. Her stomach was full of nervous butterflies.

 _What will he do if I tell him?_

* * *

Miroku was just about to decide to go look for his companions, when Inuyasha reappeared, holding an entire wild pig in his arms.

"Here you go!" He said brightly, tossing it down and proceeding to skin it with his claws "Where are the girls? I thought they'd be hungry."

"My goodness," Miroku remarked, "I don't think I've ever seen you this chipper before."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Inuyasha asked, not bothering to look up from his work. "I can only think of two reasons that Kagome would take that stupid necklace off me. The first is that I'm dreaming. The second is that she finally trusts me!"

"Oh?" Miroku asked interestedly, "What makes you say that?"

"She got mad at me yesterday 'cuz she thought I was looking for Kikyo and not her. I told her I wasn't and I think she believed me this time! And now, I don't have to worry about eating dirt every time she gets pissy! Ha!" Shippo rolled his eyes, hearing Kagome's approach.

 _For someone with such sensitive ears, someone should really tell Inuyasha that he talks really loudly._

Shippo jumped off Miroku's shoulder and bounded over to Kagome. He could tell she was troubled by something.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "You look sad!" Kagome attempted to smile and scooped the kit into her arms, hugging him gently.

"It's nothing Shippo, don't worry."

Somehow, Shippo just couldn't believe her.

TBC

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and THANK YOU to everyone that followed and favourited and reviewed! Getting notifications from Fanfiction is my favourite thing!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine, but I can dream.

* * *

Inuyasha's good mood was contagious. The wild pig was a rare feast and there was plenty for all. By the end of lunch, everyone was so relaxed, Miroku actually dozed off for an afternoon nap. When Sango went to gently wake him, Inuyasha stopped her, to everyone's amazement.

"Ah, let him sleep. You don't sense any shards around here do you Kagome?" Kagome shook her head.

Inuyasha lay back and stretched his arms over his head.

"Then there's no rush to keep moving. I say we rest a bit."

Shippo, being the clever child that he was, didn't give Inuyasha a chance to change his mind. He immediately scampered off to play in the fields. Sango shook her head affectionately and surveyed the mess they'd left. Inuyasha cracked an eye open.

"Don't worry about that Sango, I'll clean up. You need a nap as much as Miroku does." Sango blinked. Suppressing a laugh, she leaned over and whispered to Kagome,

"Never put that necklace back on him."

Within minutes, Sango was fast asleep, nestled against Kirara's side. For her part, the feline seemed content. Yawning widely, Inuyasha gathered up the remains of the pig carcass. Struck by an impulse, Kagome stood and followed him when he began to look for a better dumping ground. They walked in silence. He tossed the carcass into the forest where scavengers could have the rest, a safe distance away from their team. He sniffed his hands and smiled ruefully; the scent of the pig was so strong it almost made him hungry again.

"I need to go find a stream or something." Kagome tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"I haven't heard any rushing water."

"That's cuz' your hearing sucks." Inuyasha bragged, "I know where the water is." He scooped Kagome up and held her to his chest. Kagome felt her face turn scarlet.

 _Bridal style!_

When he told her to hang on, she happily obliged, hiding her embarrassment in his flowing sleeves. But there was no hiding her racing heart. One leap of his powerful legs had them soaring through the tree-tops, wind toying gently with their hair. Kagome had become used to the feeling in her stomach when they flew like this. Well, logically she knew it wasn't flying, it was leaping. But it sure felt like it. Her hand moved to clutch the fabric above Inuyasha's heart where she could feel the thrum of his heartbeat.

 _It could be my imagination but…no, it's probably just the adrenaline._

They did find a stream, feeding into a lovely, crystal pond! Even better! Inuyasha made his descent very carefully, she wasn't able to 'sit' him anymore, but that didn't mean he wanted a repeat of the time he'd landed poorly and caused Kagome to bite her tongue so hard that it bled. He'd felt bad of course, but the multiple 'sits' that had followed were an overreaction in his opinion. He set her down, but she didn't let go of him right away. His cheeks warmed.

"Stop that," he said gruffly, "I stink, remember?"

 _Right. So, you didn't carry her on your back because…?_

He stepped back before his inner voice became his outer voice, as it was known to do. Not looking at her, he shed his fire-rat robe and white under-shirt. His ears twitched at the sound of Kagome's squeak.

"What?" He demanded, instantly self-conscious. "Don't you ever wash your clothes?"

"Oh. I mean, yeah. Sorry." She sounded flustered. Odd.

 _Don't ask about washing his pants. Don't ask about washing his pants. Don't ask about washing his pants._

"How are you going to wash your pants?"

 _Damn it!_

Kagome wanted to slap herself. Then Miroku. Then herself again. Inuyasha turned around and looked at her, red in the face and looking incredulous. Kagome made herself stare back at him, thinking that perhaps she deserved a 'sit'.

"You've been spending too much time with Miroku." Inuyasha finally said. If the comment was intended as a jab, the smile on his face belied the sentiment. It was hard enough getting him to smile at all, but even more difficult to elicit this particular kind. Kagome knew Inuyasha was still very uncomfortable with the way he looked, and she'd noticed that unless he was angry, he attempted to hide his fangs. But today, his smile was lazy, relaxed. Crooked, Kagome noted, displaying one of his upper canines. She must have been staring at him, because he cleared his throat loudly and turned away from her.

Kagome sat and leaned against a large rock, watching him. He appeared at ease, but his silky ears twitched with every sound the forest made, constantly on the alert. He scrubbed his hands to the point where she worried he might cut himself, but of course that was a foolish concern. His hands were tough and callused from a life of combat and as erratic as he could be in some respects, he was never ever careless with his claws. Especially not with her. Her mind drifted to one instant where she'd cut her arm on a rock and Inuyasha had thought it was his doing. It had been a tiny cut, barely worth mentioning, but the remorse on his face had broken her heart. Naturally he'd blown off her reassurance with his usual bluster, but there'd been no hiding the way his ears had perked back up.

She was rudely disturbed from her musing when she was drenched with a tidal wave of water.

"Oi wench! Quit staring at me!" Kagome pushed her sopping wet bangs out of her eyes and glared at the hanyou. He was knee deep in the water, and grinning at her like a naughty child. Kagome stood. The now useless 'sit' command was on the tip of her tongue and he knew it. So, she improvised. With a war cry, Kagome charged. Inuyasha gave a shout of surprise and scrambled backwards.

Kagome flailed her arms, she'd thrown too much momentum into it and was about to land face-first into the water. Arms shot out and caught her just in time. Inuyasha's chuckle made his chest rumble.

"Stupid." Despite his words, he straightened her up and closely inspected her for any signs of injury, starting from her hips and working his way up. Kagome waited patiently for his arms to rise just high enough for her to strike. When her fingers found Inuyasha's ribs, his high-pitched shrieks of filled the air. He desperately tried to wrench himself away, but doing so sent them both tumbling into the water.

Inuyasha backed away from her, chest heaving and eyes wide. Kagome couldn't help herself, he looked so scandalised that she dissolved into gales of laughter. If she'd been paying attention, she would have seen Inuyasha's golden eyes narrow and tried to escape. As such, she put up no resistance when Inuyasha picked her up and carried her further out to a deeper part of the pond and promptly dropped her.

Inuyasha's genuine laughter at her coughing and spluttering rang in Kagome's ears. To her surprise, she wasn't angry at all. She should have been, she only had one change of clothes and no other shoes. Not to mention that her white blouse was now completely transparent. None of that mattered.

 _He's...playing with me!_

Of all the words she had used to describe him, playful had never been one of them. She grinned and charged at him again.

It had to be mid-afternoon when they crawled to the shore, soaked and exhausted. Kagome wasn't sure her ribs would ever stop aching. So much of her life here was spent burying the dead and worrying about Naraku. It felt so good to laugh again.

"Truce?" she asked, collapsing onto her stomach.

"Truce." Inuyasha agreed, flopping onto his back. They lay in companionable silence for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the sun on their faces. As they rested, Kagome became aware of her saturated shoes and socks. Smelly, pruny feet was not something she wanted to deal with. She sat up.

"We should head back, I need dry clothes." Inuyasha sat up. For the first time that afternoon, he noticed just now that Kagome's top had gone see-through, revealing that lacy thing. He blushed, averting his gaze.

"Sorry," He muttered, tossing the fire-rat robe to her, "Wear this for now. At least it's dry."

What a sight this was going to be when they arrived back. Inuyasha bare-chested, carrying Kagome's clothing and shoes in a bundle and Kagome wearing Inuyasha's robe. Again.

They opted to walk back and enjoy the scenic route.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked quietly, looking down at her toes. He grunted, a wordless acknowledgement that she had his attention. "I'm sorry."

He froze.

"For what?"

"For all those sit commands."

Her bundle of clothing hit the ground with a thump. Strong arms encircled her, pulling her against his chest. Instinctively, Kagome brought her arms around him in return.

"Kagome," He murmured, "thanks."

 _My heart is pounding! I…I want to kiss him again. Should I?_

Giving her squeeze, he stooped to pick up her clothing from where he'd dropped it. But when they resumed walking, his hand brushed hers just a little too often to be coincidental. Especially with someone as spatially conscious as Inuyasha was. Kagome hid her smile and took the hint, gently entwining her fingers with his.

* * *

As far as productivity went, the day had been a waste. They hadn't made any progress in their quest, upon returning, they'd found Sango and Miroku exactly where they'd left them. Shippo had returned with a handful of flowers, helped himself to a lollipop from Kagome's bag and fallen asleep with the stick still in his mouth. Inuyasha hadn't particularly felt like rousing everyone, so he ambled off to get some more firewood.

Sango opened one eye, and quickly sat upright when she saw Kagome.

"My goodness, how long have I been asleep?" She exclaimed.

"At least a few hours," Kagome answered, "Inuyasha says we can keep moving tomorrow, camping here is as good a place as any." A twinkle came to Sango's eye as she took in her friend's attire.

"And what have you been doing all day Kagome?" Kagome turned the colour of her robe and vehemently denied any improper behaviour, they'd simply gone for a swim. Sango did her best to hide her amusement.

 _I didn't mean it to sound so suggestive! I've been spending too much time with Miroku._

They quickly changed the subject when they heard Inuyasha's approach. Normally Kagome tried to save her food for emergencies, she knew she should, but the day had been so enjoyable; why not top it off by giving Inuyasha some of his precious ramen? Anything to see that child-like smile again.

Yet when night fell, the group found it difficult to fall asleep. Kagome rolled over onto her side. The queasy feeling was starting to come back. She hadn't the heart to mention it before, or the courage. But she'd over heard what her beloved hanyou had said earlier.

 _The only explanation I can think of is that she finally trusts me!_

Kagome sighed. Sango had suggested she tell him what happened. She wasn't so sure.

 _I feel like I'm telling on her. But I also feel like I'm lying to him. I hate it._

"Inuyasha, can we talk?"

Those four words garnered such a reaction it was almost comical. The candy Shippo had been eating fell out of his mouth. Miroku's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs. Sango was looking between the two of them with undisguised interest. Even Kirara was staring! Inuyasha looked very, very nervous.

"Uh, sure?"

Kagome debated asking if they could talk alone but she knew there was no point. She would eventually tell Sango and Miroku would likely pry the details out of Inuyasha. Might as well get it over with.

"Promise you won't get mad?" The group leaned in closer, watching her expectantly. Kagome was just about to lose her nerve.

 _Very helpful you guys._

Inuyasha's expression was tense, body posture already in defense mode.

"I guess? Spit it out already, would you? You're being weird!"

Kagome took a breath.

"Inuyasha look!" Shippo cried pointing at the sky. Six pairs of eyes turned skyward. Kagome's heart sank.

Kikyo's soul collectors.

* * *

TBC

A/N: Wow! Thanks so much for the response! I appreciate every single review, favourite and follow that I get :D 3


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me.

* * *

The moment seemed to stretch on forever. Inuyasha stood. Kagome hugged herself, resisting the urge to grab his hand and beg him to stay. She was very aware of the inquiring eyes of their friends, waiting anxiously to see what would happen next. She wished she knew.

"Kikyo is nearby." Inuyasha murmured, "It's not like her to visit two days in a row. Something might have happened. I better go make sure she's alright." Kagome looked down at her knees, hand pressed to her heart. She had to keep it together, at least until he left. Her head snapped up in surprise when she felt a clawed hand gently rest on her leg. Inuyasha's eyes were soft, even a little sad.

"I'll be back soon, ok?" Kagome hated how small her voice sounded when she spoke.

"Promise?" She whispered. She gasped quietly when Inuyasha's lips pressed against hers in a lingering kiss.

"Promise." He assured her, giving her knee a squeeze. Kagome's eyes followed him until his red and silver form faded from sight. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances; good thing they'd taken a nap earlier, it didn't look like anyone would be getting sleep tonight.

* * *

Inuyasha returned almost an hour later as promised, but his demeanour had changed. Kagome readied herself for the impending argument. His anger was obvious; he was walking rather than running, and his luminous gold eyes were fixed on her. Kagome stood, facing him.

"So, Inuyasha," Miroku asked in a light tone, as if trying to de-escalate the situation, before it exploded "What did you and Lady Kikyo talk about? Is she alright?"

"She's fine." Inuyasha said tersely, "She's discovered some clues to Naraku's whereabouts." Sango stroked Kirara's head. Miroku recognized this as a nervous gesture and understood. He was suddenly overcome with dread.

"That's good, isn't it?" Sango asked warily. Inuyasha still hadn't looked away from Kagome. Even now, she wasn't entirely used to Inuyasha's piercing gaze; he never seemed to blink as much as humans did.

"Kikyo wants me to leave with her." Kagome felt her body turn to ice. She'd been tricked. Only Shippo seemed to be able to find words.

"But you're not going, are you?" Inuyasha ignored him.

"Kagome. You got something you want to tell me?"

This was it, the confrontation Kikyo had apparently been hoping for. Kagome only hoped she could get through it without crying. That proved to be difficult. The look of disgust on his face was almost too much to bear.

"Damn it Kagome," he growled when she finished, "I really thought…" He trailed off, lost for words.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"So, what now, Inuyasha?" Asked Miroku sternly, always the level-headed one. Kagome heard Inuyasha say the word 'dawn' but her brain seemed to have completely shut down. There was a roaring in her ears and a burning shame that she'd been played.

 _He's going to go with her. Of course, he's going to go with her. What was I thinking? One day without fighting and he'd be mine forever? I'm such an idiot._

He'd turned his back to her and was walking away, looking like a silver blob in her blurry eyes. She sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands.

"Kagome?" Sango's voice was gentle, as was the arm she draped around Kagome's shoulders, "He's not gone, he's just gone to think for a while." Kagome hiccoughed, unable to speak.

* * *

Even from up in his tree, Inuyasha's ears flattened at the sound of Kagome's cries. It was taking quite a lot of effort to stay annoyed with her, but he figured that he deserved to be a little angry.

 _He found Kikyo standing next to the very pond that he'd been playing in earlier that day with Kagome. It already seemed so long ago. He breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't appear to be injured. That was good at least._

" _Inuyasha," she greeted, inclining her head. With a small smile on her lips, that was probably the warmest greeting she'd ever given him. Since her revival anyway._

" _Kikyo…are you ok? What's going on?"_

 _Calmly, just like everything else she did, Kikyo explained her discovery. Naraku's evil aura had possibly been travelling in the direction of the ox-tiger and vanished, though she didn't know how or why. It was further than she'd ever traveled, and supposedly it was treacherous._

" _I plan to journey there and find out. And I wish for you to accompany me." Giving him absolutely no time to process this, Kikyo had continued. "I'm sure you have a lot to discuss with your companions, say your goodbyes and such. We shall depart at dawn."_

" _Can't we invite them along with us?" Inuyasha asked helplessly, regaining his voice. Kikyo tilted her head to the side._

" _You would do that?" She asked in disbelief, "To Kagome? To me?" Her voice softened, "It's very possible that Naraku has fled to a place where humans cannot survive. It may be safest for them to remain behind."_

 _Inuyasha considered this, ears drooping. He hadn't forgotten the desperation that had led to him trying to force Kagome to go home. Every day, every single day, he feared for her safety. If anything happened to her…it was too horrible to think about. The grass rustled as Kikyo came closer._

" _I see Kagome removed the subjugation beads from your neck."_

" _Yeah," Inuyasha suddenly felt a little defensive, though he wasn't entirely sure why, "She trusts me."_

 _Kikyo chuckled softly_

" _Is that what she told you? Interesting." At Inuyasha's confused expression, Kikyo reached up and traced a line where the necklace used to rest. "It seems so long ago, when I made that rosary. I was going to give it to you, but I couldn't do it. I didn't feel right, going behind your back." She was much too close, he couldn't think straight._

" _I need to talk to them." Inuyasha growled, stepping back from her. Kikyo nodded. He turned to leave._

" _Beloved."_

 _Inuyasha stopped, slowly facing her. The question was clear on his features. Kikyo's smile was sad._

" _That's the word I was going to use. Beloved."_

 _He ran._

Inuyasha growled at nothing, nobody could hear him anyway. What a gods-damned mess. Why did he seem to end up in such situations so quickly? It had been one day for crying out loud.

 _What should I do?_

His nostrils flared involuntarily. Kagome's scent, coming closer. He looked down.

She was standing a few feet away from his tree, hands clasped in front of her, wearing the soft blue pyjamas that he liked. He noticed with some relief, that she had stopped crying, though her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were tear-stained. He jumped down from his branch, forcing himself to meet her eyes. It took all his restraint not to take her into his arms.

"Inuyasha," She said, taking a shaky breath, "I've been thinking. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, about why I took the necklace off." She took another breath, biting her lip, "I've decided that I want you to do what you want to do." Inuyasha's heart leapt, but he knew it was too early for excitement; tears were welling up in Kagome's eyes again.

"But please, I'm begging you. Whatever you decide, decide. I can't…" words failed her for a moment, "I can't keep doing this. It hurts too much." She attempted a brave smile. He was lost for words. Unsure of what else to do, he tore his gaze away from her pleading brown eyes and looked towards the sky. Though the colours of dawn had not started to bleed into the darkness, the horizon was getting brighter.

Kagome seemed to realize that he didn't know how to answer. He'd never been good with words. When she headed back to camp, he let her go. Hitting the ground with a thump, Inuyasha groaned in irritation and ran a hand through his hair. He was running out of time. If she'd meant to make things easier for him, she'd failed miserably. She'd asked him something that very few people ever had.

 _What do I want to do?_

 _TBC_

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much everyone for the feedback! I hope this latest installment was up to your expectations! The next chapter will probably be the last, but we'll see where the plot bunnies take me! This one ended up being more dramatic than I originally intended.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me.

* * *

Kagome wasn't asleep, but she wasn't fully aware either. Her mind had been running non-stop all night. It had taken all her bravery to say what she had, and she'd meant every word. No one could ever say she treated Inuyasha like a leashed dog ever again. But that didn't mean that the thought of losing him didn't hurt. Kagome snorted softly.

 _I make it sound like he's dying._

He wouldn't be dying. If anything, he'd be living the life he wanted. And if what he wanted was to reconcile with his first love, destroy Naraku and then…She couldn't even finish the thought, the lie drowning out all logic.

 _I can't pretend to be happy for him, knowing the fate Kikyo desires for them. I want him to live! I want him to have more days like yesterday at the pond._

A rustling sound brought her out of her reverie. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the bright sky. The dawn colours were almost gone, replaced by cheery blue. She gasped, the full impact of that statement hitting her like a ton of bricks.

She bolted upright, looking towards the tree where Inuyasha had perched.

He wasn't there.

Kagome drew her hands into shaky fists, trying to control her breathing. How could he have left without even saying goodbye? She heard the rustling sound again, accompanied by an irritable grunt. Not daring to believe her ears, Kagome slowly turned.

Inuyasha was sitting cross-legged with her backpack on his lap and carelessly digging through it, tossing anything he deemed useless off to the side.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Keh, what does it look like? I'm hungry."

By this point, Sango, Shippo, Miroku and Kirara were all wide-awake and watching the exchange with avid interest. Kagome hadn't answered the hanyou's question, she was too busy staring at him as if he'd vanish if she blinked. Inuyasha waved a clawed hand in front of her eyes.

"Hello! I said I'm hungry, wench! Where are you hiding the ninja food?"

Kagome slowly shook her head, mouth hanging slightly open. She seemed to be in a daze.

"We don't have much left, but there's some chips in the front pocket."

Inuyasha shot her a lop-sided grin, flashing his upper canines and dove for the chips. His face lit up when he saw they were his favourite kind. But he didn't get the chance to enjoy them. The bag was knocked out of his hands when he felt Kagome's arms encircle him and press his head against her chest.

The gang gasped, not bothering to hide their delight. Miroku would be lying if he said he wasn't just a tad envious.

"You're still here." Kagome breathed, holding him tighter. She didn't care they had an audience. She didn't care that any second now he was going to berate her for being so emotional and making a scene. She didn't even care that he'd called her 'wench' again. She'd take it all. He'd stayed.

"Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled. "Lemme go!" His voice was muffled, but despite most of his face being hidden, the blush on his cheeks was obvious. He only pushed her away when he was in danger of suffocating. Face brilliantly red, Inuyasha demanded to know what everyone was staring at before proceeding to inhale the bag of chips.

"So Inuyasha, I take it this means you've decided to grace us with your presence for a little while longer?" Miroku asked. Sango elbowed him in the ribs, warning him not to start a fight. Inuyasha balled up the empty chip bag and glared at the monk.

"Thanks for the sarcasm. Yeah, I'm staying. Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all," Sango soothed, holding up her hands, "But we are curious as to why." Inuyasha planted his hands on his knees and glared at his team.

"I'm staying because you guys can't take care of yourselves without me! Even if I didn't tell you what Kikyo learned about Naraku, you'd find out somehow. Then you'd all end up in dangerous country anyway and probably get yourselves killed."

"I see," Miroku said, not bothering to hide the amusement in his tone, "I'm sure we're all very touched by your reasoning." Inuyasha stared at him, unsure as to whether he was being sarcastic again. Kagome intervened by gently touching Inuyasha's hand.

"I guess we just want to know that you're sure about this. That you aren't going to regret it later." Inuyasha leapt to his feet, knocking Kagome's hand away.

"What's with the interrogation?" He snarled, "Is this how it's going to be from now on? All of you walking on eggshells around me, thinking I'm gonna change my mind?"

No one answered. This was apparently the wrong response. He snarled angrily.

"Doesn't anyone trust me around here? I'm not going anywhere! I'll prove it to you!" He picked up Kagome's knapsack and upturned it, dumping out the contents until the item he was looking for fell out. To everyone's astonishment, Inuyasha snatched the beads of subjugation from the grass and irritably pulled the necklace over his head.

Silence.

Miroku's jaw dropped. Sango's hand flew to her mouth. Kagome blinked, certain she was hallucinating. Inuyasha's triumphant expression at having proven his resolve slowly turned to horror as he realized just what the hell he'd done.

"Crap!" He shrieked, in a most un-manly way, trying fruitlessly to pull the necklace off. When it became clear that it wasn't going to work, he yelled about needing to pack up, and no time to waste, but he was going for a walk first. Regaining her senses, Kagome chased after him. He allowed her to catch up, and only grumbled a little bit that he'd meant he wanted to walk _alone._ They walked in silence while Kagome pondered the best way to ask the many questions she had swirling in her mind. Finally, she decided to just come right out and ask.

"Inuyasha, why are you staying?"

The hanyou stopped in his tracks. The look he gave her was mix of emotions that she couldn't quite make out. There was some anger, embarrassment, even a little sadness.

"Please," she took a clawed hand, covering it with both of hers. "I need to know."

Inuyasha sighed, all his previous bluster had gone.

"I thought about what Kikyo said to you. About treating me like a dog. But she," A growl rumbled in his throat, "She didn't ask me to leave with her, she told me to say my goodbyes and be back at dawn." Kagome rubbed his hand with her thumb, trying to quell the anger that had started to bubble up. Petty as it was, Kagome couldn't pretend she didn't feel even a little satisfaction; Kikyo had apparently been very certain that Inuyasha would do as she wanted. It was kind of nice to prove her wrong.

"And," he muttered, "I'm not mad at you about the necklace anymore. Whatever the reason, you still did take it off."

Kagome reached up and gently traced the line of the beads around his neck.

"I can take them off again, if that's what you want." He hesitated, clearly thinking it over.

"Nah, they have come in handy once or twice." Kagome's hand came to rest on Inuyasha's chest, feeling his heartbeat through the fire-rat robe.

"Let me know if you change your mind," Kagome whispered, tilting her face upwards. Inuyasha's amber eyes were warm.

"I'm not changing my mind." Inuyasha replied, pulling her close. When he kissed her, Kagome felt grateful for the arms holding her in place, without them she may have floated away. Rising onto her toes, she deepened the kiss, bringing up on hand to cup his cheek. A curious urge took hold. She held on to him and whispered.

"Sit boy."

In the blink of an eye, Kagome found herself flat on her back with a throbbing head and a heavy hanyou on top of her, pinning her down. She blushed, this wasn't exactly what she'd expected.

"What the hell is your problem?" He asked, incredulously. Although truth be told, he wasn't entirely minding this position.

"Sorry," Kagome answered sheepishly, rubbing her head where it had collided with the ground "I wanted to know what it was like. Sango was right, it does hurt."

"Keh, I could have told you that." His eyes softened, "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded. Inuyasha tenderly kissed the forming lump on her head before claiming her lips again.

Hadn't he just said that the beads came in handy once in a while?

FIN

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A/N: Thank you so much everyone! I hope you enjoyed it!


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